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UPDATE: 1 day shy of 7 weeks, and I am out of the boot!! Praise Jesus!

I had a follow up appointment with my doctor today. My orthotics came in. Although it is hard for me to tell any big difference, my doctor is pleased with my progress. She told me that if my foot gets too sore, I can put the boot back on for a while to calm it down, but she wants me to try and concentrate on getting used to the orthotics and wearing them in both shoes from now on. She says I have probably dodged surgery, but now I have a period of PT to get my strength back, and to learn how to walk normally all over again. I've had the boot on for so long now that (A) my back is way past screwed up at the SI joint; (B) the muscles of both legs, but particularly my left leg, have atrophied somewhat so that my legs are weak....particularly my left leg; and (C) like I mentioned above, I have to relearn the mechanics of walking. For instance, I have to make myself bend my knees when I take a stride because I was so used to a stiff-kneed gate that bending no longer comes naturally. My ankles are both stiffer. I've lost a LOT of range of motion in the left ankle and I have to work to get that back. I've been so used to everything in my body being kind of out of alignment for weeks now, that now it all hurts because it is trying to realign itself properly.

I see some visits to the chiropopper and massage therapist in my near future.

But all of that said, now I feel for the first time like I have made some progress, and I feel like I can help myself actually make a difference in how fast I continue to heal, and THAT is a great feeling. My doctor wants me to continue PT for a while longer. She said that I can start walking again for exercise, but to only start with short distances at first, like not more than a mile. She also said that I can ride a bike now if I want, which is great news.

So, finally some progress. I still have a ways to go, but I don't feel trapped anymore. Thank you all for your prayers.

Not my feet in this image, but this is what has happened to me, and on the same side too:


To the extent that I could understand my doctor's description, the surgery results would look something like this:

mojo84 wrote:Glad you've been able to avoid surgery do far. Will pray your able heals on its own.

Broke my able and tore the ligament that hold the fibula and tibia in place. Did it on May 13 and here are my x-rays that were taken yesterday. Be as compliant as you can so you don't have to join the hardware club.

Due to the remaining gap in the fibula, it will be at least another 2 weeks before I can start putting any weight on it.

Hang in there and best wishes for a full and complete recovery.

Holy cow! Did they actually fuse the ankle?

Update (also posted on Facebook).......

I'm a little discouraged today. I just had another visit with my podiatrist about this torn tendon in my ankle/foot. I tore it on May 31st, but wasn't able to get treatment for it until 6/6, and I've been wearing this darned knee-high boot ever since - 5 weeks so far. I was REALLY hoping that I could get out of this boot today. Not to be. I have to wear it some more, and I'm really struggling with trying to be patient with the process.

Next steps:
1. They took impressions of my feet for orthotics today, and those will be ready in 3-4 weeks.
2. I start physical therapy next Monday.
3. The Monday after that (2 weeks from today), I have ANOTHER followup visit with my podiatrist. At that time, I'll also be fitted for something called a "Richie Brace". That will take however long to be made, and then they show me how to put it on and wear it when it comes in. The good news is that, when I get the Richie Brace, I can stop wearing the boot. In the meantime, PT will continue for however long is necessary.
4. AT THE END OF ALL THIS....... there is still a high probability of requiring surgery - and that's another thing. I THOUGHT we were talking all along about a tendon repair surgery. Nope. We are talking about using a bunch of hardware to fuse the bones of my foot to restore the arch, and then pinning the tendon to the bone.

I never thought that such a simple injury on the face of it would be so daggum complicated.

Cuss words, evil thoughts, much grumbling.

And I'm trying not to let this rob me of my joy in the Lord ..... but it sure as heck seems to be robbing me of my summer.

J.R.@A&M wrote:

The Annoyed Man wrote:

Jusme wrote:Glad to hear you won't have to go through surgery (at least for now) The knee scooter will make getting around much easier, my wife got one when she had foot surgery last year. Physical therapy, does work. I had to have it for my back, last year, and my shoulder 5 years ago. But you will have to be diligent, and do the exercises they prescribe while at home. Looking forward to seeing you "scooting" into our breakfast Saturday! Continued Prayers.

Glad the scooter will identify me, so that I don't have to wear the big hat (which did not come with any cattle).

Which scooter scabbard are you using for your scout rifle? :)

Hmmmm...... I confess you've got me thinking now.....

Jusme wrote:Glad to hear you won't have to go through surgery (at least for now) The knee scooter will make getting around much easier, my wife got one when she had foot surgery last year. Physical therapy, does work. I had to have it for my back, last year, and my shoulder 5 years ago. But you will have to be diligent, and do the exercises they prescribe while at home. Looking forward to seeing you "scooting" into our breakfast Saturday! Continued Prayers.

Glad the scooter will identify me, so that I don't have to wear the big hat (which did not come with any cattle).

Here's an update on my ankle.....mostly good news:

(1) No surgery for now. The posterior tibialis tendon is torn, but my doctor wants to treat it conservatively. If that doesn't work, we can consider surgery down the road. Praise Jesus.

(2) I am to not let my bare left foot touch the floor for the next 4-6 weeks. No more showers ( ), baths only, with my foot elevated. The boot only comes off for bedtime and bathing.

(3) She gave me an "Even Up" to wear on my right shoe, to make my stride length equal while wearing the boot, so that I can walk closer to normal, and I've e ordered a knee scooter which arrives in the next day or two so that I can get around parking lots and such.

(4) If after 4-6 weeks I show some signs of recovery, we will begin some aggressive physical therapy.

(5) If this treatment plan is not successful, then we can always revisit doing surgery. Thank you everyone for your prayers.

(6) I'm going to be custom fitted with an orthotic for my right foot, and an some kind of ankle brace for my left foot, which (as I understand it) acts as a combination orthotic and brace. I have no idea what this looks like. Anyway, regardless of outcome and/or surgery, these are more or less permanent I guess.

So it could be worse, but it will also be a major inconvenience for the next month or two.

A week ago yesterday, while I was in California, I injured my left ankle pretty badly. I have apparently (will know for sure in a day or two when the MRI report comes back) severed my posterior tibial tendon, and X-rays show that I have possibly broken a chunk off of the forward end of either my talus or calcaneous bone. As long as I don't try to move my foot certain ways, it's actually not very painful, but it IS debilitating because it interferes with my range of motion. If I try to use the posterior tibialis muscle, both it and the anterior tibialis immediately cramp up into a big charley horse, because they aren't pulling against any resistance. So I can't flex my foot, or supinate it without pain. But as long as I don't try those two things, I'm OK. The problem is that lots of subconscious motions I don't normally have to think about.....like getting out of a chair....use those muscles, so I have to be very deliberate about how I do things.

Anyway, my podiatrist assures me that surgery is the likely outcome. She also says that, typically, after a posterior tibial tendon heals, it is never as strong as it used to be. She also says that if the bone (whichever one it is) is actually broken the way it looks on X-ray, that she'll just go ahead and fuse the arch of my foot. The upside is that she can take advantage of the opportunity to straiten and fuse my left big toe, which I badly broke in a karate tournament 45 years ago and has been as crooked as a politician ever since.

So right now, I'm wearing one of those big orthopedic boots to immobilize my ankle until ..... well, my doctor says for the next 6 to 8 weeks, I guess.

My prayer requests are these:

First: we take care of our grand monkeys full time Monday through Friday, while my son and DIL are at work. Since the injury, my wife has had to assume the lion's share of childcare tasks. I am unable to do much more than sit on the couch with my leg elevated, and read to them. I can't help her fix meals or any of that right now, but I am also trying not to add to her burden by her having to take care of me. Please pray for her good health, patience, strength, and peace of mind.

Second: please pray for a good outcome with this injury, and that I will heal rapidly and recover fully. In addition to the burden it places on my wife, walking is about the only exercise I can do which helps with controlling my weight......and right now, I can't walk more than a few paces. Please pray that my doctor's hands and mind will be guided by the Great Physician.

Third: I am uninsured, so the cost of all of this will come out of my pocket. So far, I've received the benefit of cash discounts for the doctor's office, and the MRI fees (which still cost me $1,100 last night, for two scans). The cost of my office visit, the X-rays, and the boot came to $418; so I'm into this for $1,500 so far. My doctor tells me her surgical fee will be around $1,500, but the big unknowns are the anesthesiology and hospital fees. I am guessing the total cost of surgery will be around $5000-$6000, but that's just a guess. God has made it possible for me to be able to pay this amount without assuming any debt, and I sure don't want to go into debt to pay more than that if I don't have to. I have good credit and untapped credit resources, but I don't want to have to use them. Please pray that the hospital and anesthesiologist will give me cash discounts also, to keep the total cost to where I don't have to go into debt to pay for it.

Thank you for your prayers.